Fireman&#39;s helmet and the like



I 1,492,577 F. OBERMEYER FIREMANS HELMET AND THE LIKE May 6 1924.

Filed Feb. 18. 1921 Patented inlay d, i924 UNHTEE- ERR DEER-MEYER, 0F RUFF FEREM'ANS EELETET AND THE I Application tiled February ltd, 1921. Serial No. 445,986.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK OBERMEYER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Bulialo, in the county of Erie and State of "New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flremens Helmets and the like, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in helmets, and while I have shown the novel features of my invention ap lied to a firemans helmet, it is adapted oruse on any type of helmet or any type of head-gear formed of non-yieldin material or in conjunction with a non-ylelding rim or band.

Firemens helmets and other similar headgear constructed of non-yielding material are difficult to'retain on the head without resorting to the use of straps or the like adapted to be fastened around the chin, especially when stooping or, when the head is moved quickly in any direction. Moreover, it has been found extremely dificult for firemen to retain helmets on their heads when dressing for service while on a tire apparatus responding to a call of fire, and also while working around a fire, particularly when the hehnet comes in contact with some object, as it requires verylittle pressure to cause the helmet to be tipped from the head.

With a view of overcoming these and other annoyances and difiiculties experienced when wearing helmets, I have devised this invention, in which the prima object is to employ an adjustable retainer and which will snugly fit the head of the wearer and which is so secured to the helmet that it will retain the helmet on the head under all conditions of use. v

Another object of my invention is to pro vide a retainer band which will extend beneath the rim of the helmet and which is so constructed that it may be secured to the ordinary lining now employed in firemenfs helmets.

Another object of m inventlon is to provide a retainer band or firemens or other helmets having a replaceable lining, and to' so construct the band that it is secured to the lining and may be removed therewith, thus enabling a fireman in possession or a helmet to. purchase a new helmet lining, which can be applied to his helmet and which may have my improved adjustable band secured thereto.

A still iurther object of my invention is to provide a retainer band for a helmet adapted to snugly fit the head of the wearer, and which is equipped with means co operating with a head apron which can be conveniently attached to said band and as readily removed therefrom.

Other object of my invention will be apparent from the description to follow.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction and in the arrange- .ment and combination of parts to be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the subjoined claims.

In the drawin s:

Fig. 1 is a si e elevation of a firemans helmet, showing the same equipped with my improved retainer band and head apron.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is anenlarged section taken on line 3-3, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4: is a section taken" on line 4- 4 Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrow crossing said line.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are sectional perspective views of portions of the retainer'band in the course of construction showing progressive steps in the method of forming the same.

the head apron.

My improved retainer band, which may be referred to as a sweat band, is shown in the drawings applied'to the lining of a fire- -mans helmet, and as this liningis of a type retained within the helmet in a special manner, I desire it to be understood that my invention may be applied to the linings of other helmets, although such linings are secured in a manner different than herein shown, or it may be applied to some other portion of a helmet.

Fig. 8 is a detached perspective view of I The lining of a firemans helmet is so applied to the helmet that it can be conveniently detached therefrom, and as linings become worn sooner than the body of a helmet, it is common practice to purchase a new lining and insert the same into the he]- met, and for this reason my invention may he applied to linings of helmets adapted to replace worn linings, or it may be directly applied to the body portion of a firemans helmet and sold therewith.

The reference numeral 10 designates a regulation firemans helmet, and in the crown 11 thereof, in proximity to the rim rot ing the material from which the body por 7 tion of the helmet is formed outwardly so as tlotorm an external head, as clearly shown at The groove 13 extends completely around the crown and serves as a means for retaining the lining 15 in the helmet. This lining is shaped somewhat to the crown but is smaller than the same, and has an opening 16 through the top. In the main, it is constructed of felt, woolencloth or other suit-- able material, but along its lower end such material has stitched thereto a strip ot leather or similar material 17 as at 18, and within the leather or similar material a retainer wire 19 is secured, the leather or similar material being curved around the wire and then sewed, as at 20, or otherwise fas tened to completely enclose said retainer wire. The leather or similar material 17 and retainer wire 19 combined serve as a removable securing band. In fact, said band may be referred to as a self-expanding securin band, since the wire 19 thereof is ada to to be sprung into the groove 13 in the elmet and thereby retain the lining 16 and the retainer band, to be hereinafter re: ferred to, in position within the helmet.

The retainer wire 19 with the leather or similar material around it, is sprung into the groove 13, and in this manner the lining is retained within the helmet. There, however, is no portion of said lining extending beneath the plane of said groove and when the helmet is worn, the covered retainer wire causes considerable pressure against the head of the wearer, articularly since it fits snugly within t e retainer groove 13 andthe body portion of the helmet is unyielding. This is es ecially true when the helmet does not fit t e wearer at all points, in which case the tain points of the head ma es it possible for the wearer to use the helmet only for short eriods of time. Moreover, with the parts caring against the head made unyielding, the helmet can be easily blown from the heador hocked ed by coming in contact with an object or by a stream of water from a'fire hose. 4

In the use of my invention ll equip the helmet with a cushion retainer-band 21 serving as a sweat band and having a cushion portion 22randa securing'fiap 23 extending upwardly from said cushion portion for attachment to the lining of the helmet. The "cushion portion 22 hangs loosely within the extreme lower portion of the helmet and projects beneath the rim thereof. The flap 23 is secured to the lining '15 by means of stitches 24, and where'the 1 lining is especially constructed for use in connection with my improved retainer-band,

the leather material 17 stitched to the main iressure at oer eeann? portion of the 15 and surrounding the retainer wire 19 is carried upwardly, as at 25, at the outside of the lining proper, and in such cases the stitches 24; are also passed through the upwardly extending flap 25 of said leather material.

In constructing my improved band, a strip of felt or other soft material is folded upon itself so as to form a pad 26, comprising three layers of material, as shown in Fig. 5, and a draw cord 27 is placed within the folds 0r layers of the pad, the three folds or layers being stitched together, as at 28, to complete a pad having the draw cord slidable therein, which cord is at the lower end of the pad.

The pad so formed is then' enclosed within a strip of cotton or other similar material 29, which is first stitched along one of its marginal portions to the inner side of the pad near its lower end, as at 30, and is then completely wound or folded around the pad with a flap 31 extending upwardly therefrom, this strip of cotton or other similar material being overlapped or doubled at the inner side of the pad, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 6, and being further stitched to the pad, as at 32.

Partly surrounding the. cotton covered pad is a strip of leather 33 which has one marginal portion at the outside of the cotton covered pad and is stitched along said marginal portion to said cotton covered pad. as at 34; this leather strip being directed downwardly from the line of stitching 34 and thence folded around the lower edge of the cotton covered pad, and finally upwardly along the inner side of said cotton covered pad and along and beyond the flap 31 thereof to form the flap 23 hereinbefore specified. With the retainer band so formed,'the cotton flap 31 is stitched, as at 35, to the leather 17 secured to the lining and enclosing the retainer wire 19, while the leather lie 23 is stitched, as at 24, to said lining an to the flap 25 of the leather secured to said lining, as hereinbefore described. lln this manner the retainer band is secured to the lining ofthe helmet by means of the two flaps 31 and 23, which extend upwardly from the cushion rtion 22 of the band; said cushion portion eing suspended from said flaps and positioned underneath the leather covered retainer wire 19.

It is to be noted that the retainer band opposite ends of the band are separated, as

he ends ofthe at 37. The draw cord 27 has its ends extending out through the ends of the band, and these ends may be tied together after drawing the band inwardly to conform. to

. aeeaevr around the head so that the helmet will be securely held thereon, and when once adjusted to the head and the ends of the draw cord 27 are tied together, no her adjustment will be required. It is simply necessary to take hold of the rim of the helmet at opposite sides and pull the helmet down firmly over the head with'the result that the retainer band will fit snugly to the head at all points, and this band will conform itself to the shape of the head. Further more, by reason of this :0: having the cushion lower portion 22 hung in position by means. of flaps secured to the lining of the helmet and having said cushion portion at out of contact with non-yielding surrounding parts, there will be no discomfort to the wearer and he will have assurance that objects falling onto the helmet will not tip the helmet from the head, since a direct up- 25 ward pull is required to remove the helmet.

Helmets as now constructed have no provision for, attaching a head apron thereto and it is found necessary in cold weather to wear a knitted can under the helmet capable to of being drawn down over the ears.,

Vith my improved retainer band extending heneath the rim, a convenient means is pro vided for attaching a head apron thereto,

said apron being designated by the numeral 38 and being constructed from felt or other woolen material which will not impart a cold feeling to the'wearer when damp 'orwhen saturated with water. This apron is so constructed that it covers a good portion 4 of the face and com letely 3 surrounds the rear of the head, itbeing extended down so as to fit around the neck and thus leave exosed only the front portion of the face.

t is also shaped to provide two flaps 39 adapted to be placed underneath the chin and buttoned or-otherwise fastened together. Since the ears are fully covered by this apron I referably punch or otherwise form small openings 40 t roughthe apron at the regions covering the ears so as to enable the wearer to hear commands from whli ke in actiorli.

1s apron as its-upper marginal portion fastened to the cushion portion 22 of the his superior retainer band in any suitable manner, but

with a view of providing a simple and effective e'onnection, a wire or the like 41 is threaded into and out of the cushion of the band, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, said wire extending around a portion of the band from a point at one side thereof, forward of a medial line, to a similar point at the other side thereof, the ends of the wire being bent into 'loops or eyes 42 so they cannot be withdrawn from the band.

' the same near its lower ed Havin thus described my invention, what what l c aim is 2- l. A. helmet, comprising a metallic body portion, a linin within said body portion, a retainer handxaving a cnshion portion, a flap extending upwardly from said cushion portion and secured to said lining to loosely suspend said cushion portion, and, a draw cord passing through said cushion portion. said cushion portion serving as a sweat hand for said helmet.

2. A helmet, comprising a body portion having an internal groove extending around ge, a lining within said helmet having a retainer wire adapted to co-operate with said groove to' detachahly retain the lining within said helmet, and a cushion hand attached to said lining at points above said retainer wire and suspended from its points of attachment to said lining, the lower end of said hand being 3. A retainer band for helmets and the i like having a lower cushion portion, a flap extending upwardly from said cushion portion and a draw cord extending through said cushion portion and ada ted to draw the latter inwardly to reduce t e size of the band,

said band being formed of a strip of yielding material folded uponitself and having said draw cord positioned between its folds, a strip of material surrounding said folded yieldingmaterial and having a flap extending u wardly from the inner side of said folde material and a strip of facing material secured to the thus covered folded yielding material so as to face the outer surface, the lower edge and the inner surface thereof, said facing material terminating in an upwardly-extendingfiap adapted to be secured within a helmet.

t. A retainer band for helmets formed of a strip of yieldi material folded upon itself to form a pa a draw cord positioned between the folds of said pad, a stri of covering material completely surroun ing said 'wardly extending flap, and facing material facing the exterior of said covering material at the outer side, the lower edge, and the inner side of said covered pad and extending upwardly so as to terminate in a flap projecting beyond the flap of said covering material said flaps being adapted to be secured to the helmet. p p

5. A helmet, comprising a body portion,

e reteiner bond secured to seid y portion end exten r. dowerdly beyond the lower edge thef, o wire carried by the downwardly-extending portion of said reteiner bend and extending from e int set one side thereof to the other, and o, ead epron having hooks on its inner side nlon its upwr merginni wrtion edepted to onto said wire.

6. A helmet comprising a body portion, e retainer bend having e cushion portion pro- {eating downwardly beneath the rim of said eet and n flap extending upwardly from 3 said cushion portion for connection to snid renew? FRANK UBERYER. 

